Improvement in electro-magnetic alarms for railroad-cars



Electric Railroad-Alarm. 1' No. 94,198.r Patented- Aug. 31, 1869.

W'ness: Inventor:

iinteil git-atea WEBSTER GILLETT, OF YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN.

Letters Patent No. 94,198, dated August 31, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRO-MAGNETC 'ALARMS FOR RAILROAD-CARS.

Tite Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern to the accompanying drawings, making part of thisspeciication, in which- Figure 1 is an end view of the apparatus and section of a car-truck.

Figure 2, a view' of the under side.

Figure 3, a side view of the apparatus detached.

Figures 4 and 5, detached sections.

Like lettersof reference refer to like parts in the different views.

lhis invention has for iLs, object the signalling to the engineer ofa' train, the event of an accident to any one of the cars, such as the breaking dorm ofthe running-gear, or in the event of being thrown from the track, or becoming detached, the alarm being given by telegraphic communication and apparatus, the same being operated by certain devices in connection therewith and attachedV to each car, and detached only in the event of accident-s of the naturev aforesaid.

In Iig. 1, A B represent a pair of truck-wheels of a railroad-car, and C, the frame, in which said wheels are secured, and upon which the ear, represented-by D', is supported, by the intervention ofthe cross-beam D, fig. 3.

rEhe extreme ends of said beam are secured between the standards a of the frame, and rest upon rubber springs E.

Immediatelyv below the beam referred to is a sec` ondary beam, F, the ends 'of which are also secured between the cheeks of the standards a referred to.

To the underside of the beam F is pivoted one end of the transverse lever G, iig. Il, through the intervention of the stays H, whereas the opposite ends are secured in the slot of the stay I, fig. l, in which they are free to more upward and downward. as and for a purpose hereinafter shown.

J is a stem, one end of which is pivoted to the end ofthe lever G, and retained in a vertical position, by means of the stay K, in which it is loosely fitted, thereby allowing it to play upward 'and downward, on the movement of the levers.

Surrounding the upper part of the stem is a coiled spring, c', the purpose of which is to return the levers tb the position shown, after being pushed upward, as will presently be described. A

To said stein is attached ont` section of the circuit- -breakers L, a detached view of which is shown in figs. '-1 and 5.y Said attachment is made by means of the lug b.;

One section of each circuit-breaker is connected to another by the insulated wire c, whereby they are actuated conjointly, by nieans of the levers G, to which they are connected by means of the stems J referred to, whereas each of the other sections of the circuit-breakers is connected, the one to an electric battery, indicated by the dotted lines d, fig. 1, by means of the insulated wire N, and the other to au electro-apparatus, O, by means of the wire I.

Said apparatus and battery are the same as those in ordinary use, and are placed upon the locomotive within reach and hearing of the engineer, whose im mediate attention it is especially designed to call.

It will be observed that the immediate connections of the devices, consisting of the transverse levers G, circuit-breakers, Sac., to the battery and apparatus, are effected by the coiled connections It 1t', whereby is prevented any undue strain being exerted upon them in consequence of the vertical and longitudinal movement of the cars, and therefore less liable to break, than were said connections of a more rigid character.

A similar arrangement oi' devices as that above described is secured to lthe bottom of each car, substantia-lly in the same way and place.

The immediate connection of the conducting insu-- lated wire from car to car, thence to the battery and apparatus, may be eiected by any easy and appropriate device, the connection being nia-de at the same time of coupling up the train.

Having thus described thc construction and arrangement .of the signalling-apparatus, the practical operation of the same is as follows:

It will be observed that theactuating-levers G are arranged nea-r the bed of the track, being but a few inches above the top of the ties.

'l\'o\v, should any obstruction be presented sutilciently to come in contact with the levers, they would be thrown upward, actuating the circuit-breakers, thereby breaking the circuit, which sounds an alarm on the bell Q, thus giving timely notice, to the engineer, of danger'.

0r, should one ot' the cars be thrown from the track, or in such way break down, that the levers would come to the ground, the fact is instantly made known to the engineer, by breaking of the circuit actuated by the levers, and, by such timely-warning, the train is stopped before further accident can occur.

Bythis device, it will be obvious that many dangers to life, occasioned by the breaking down of an axle, or sonic other part of the truck', or of a car being thrown from the trae-k, are avoided, as the immediate and timely notice, given to the. engineer, enables him to stop his train in time to prevent a continuation and aggravation ofthe accident, and thus greater safety is secured to the passengers and train.

The construction and arrangement of the appara-tus are simple, and of easy manipulation, and, at all times certain in their operation, as the mere breaking of the connection, et any part of the general circuit, sounds an alarm in time for the engineer to stop his trein.

That I claim :is my improvement, and desire to secure by'Letters Patent, is-

l. The transverse actuating-levers G, stem J, and spring a, as arranged in combination with the circuitrbreakers L, in the manner substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. 'llie transverse actuating-levers G, circuit-breakers L, as arranged in relation to and in combination Wit-h the battery C and signalling-apparatus O, in the manner substantially as described, and for the purpose specified. K

XVEBSTER GILLETT.

NVitnesses:

J. H. BURRIDGE, E. E. WAITE. 

